


Third Time is the Charm

by GingerFerret



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adorkable Draco, Attempt at Humor, Ficlet, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Humor, M/M, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, POV Draco Malfoy, Short & Sweet, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-31 02:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10890216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerFerret/pseuds/GingerFerret
Summary: Draco tries to concentrate, but Potter keeps disturbing him. Why can't Draco maintain his focus whenever the stupid Gryffindor is around?





	Third Time is the Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy. Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated:)

Draco found himself once again studying Potter surreptitiously across the library. Merlin, why couldn't he get that _ridiculous_ mop imitating hair under control, it was extremely distracting! Especially when one was trying to focus on the task at hand - namely an important potions essay due for tomorrow. Draco shook his head in annoyance and focused his attention back on the parchment in front of him. 

That only lasted for a couple of minutes, however, since Potter and his gang were notorious attention-seekers, and therefore found it impossible to be quiet for long enough for _other people_ to concentrate on things of actual importance. Draco scowled at the trio who were currently laughing raucously at some ostensibly hilarious comment from Weasley, if Potter's incessant clapping on his shoulder was anything to judge by. Draco huffed and once again tried to zone in on his homework. 

Stupid Potter and his stupid laugh made it impossible to study. It was no good. Draco's concentration was lost. He sighed and threw his quill across the table. He might as well just sit here and discretely stare at Potter for the rest of the hour. Annoying prat... 

 

\---

 

Quidditch practice was undertaken in a hailstorm. Draco was soaked to the skin and his face was almost frozen stiff, but damn it all if he let Potter know his distress. At this very moment, Draco was treating the prat to his best half-frozen sneer, as the two of them were on collision course at breakneck speed, both reaching for that glimmer of gold between them. 

Potter flew like his life depended on it. His style was undeniably impressive, though Draco would only ever admit to that under the influence of Veritaserum. He was so sure on his broom - naturally graceful even though he tore through the air in an almost brutal fashion. It was as if his broom was an extension of himself and not a mere piece of equipment. 

Potter's fingers must be unnaturally long, because he caught the damn Snitch right in front of Draco's astonished face, and swerved away at the last minute. _Bloody Gryffindor_ and his _bloody long fingers_! 

Draco swore in the most colorful way he could think of and flew directly towards the changing rooms to sulk. 

\---

 

Dinner in the Great Hall was particularly dull that evening. Pansy was studying for extra points while eating, and Blaise and Theo were engrossed in a conversation about the virtues of big breasted girls versus those with bulging backsides. Draco sighed morosely while stabbing at a stuffed leek with his fork. 

A ripple of laughter from the Gryffindor table made him look up. Of course it was Potter who was once again the centre of attention, sitting there with his gleaming smile and eyes like starbursts. Couldn't he get enough? Wasn't it sufficient to know that he had saved the wizarding world from a noseless maniac with a man-eating snake for a pet? Was it really necessary to seek attention from anyone at all times? And why the _hell_ wasn't he seeking it from Draco?! 

There was a loud _clank_ as Draco's fork hit his dinner plate. 

 

\---

Draco was staring at the ceiling above his bed. He was lying completely still. He didn't even dare blink too often. Maybe if he pretended to not exist, he could convince himself that he would never have to venture beyond his dormitory again. That would be preferable to ever seeing Potter again after Draco's epiphany at dinner. 

Nope, he couldn't go there. Don't think about Potter! Think about quidditch! Yes, that's it. Think about soaring through the air on the lookout for the Snitch. Yes, that worked. Draco could almost feel the wind against his face, a glimmer of gold to his left. He imagined changing course on his broomstick - and there was Potter, all lean and looking good in his quidditch leathers... _Damn it_!

Why, oh why couldn't he have stayed oblivious...? Who the hell could have guessed that dislike and annoyance could somehow morph into attraction and admiration?! Things like that didn't happen. Did they? 

Draco should know. He had spent most of the evening going through it over and over again in his head. When he could take it no longer, he had reluctantly asked Pansy, who had smiled knowingly (and annoyingly) and patted his cheek. What the hell was that supposed to mean?! 

Blaise hadn't been of any more help. He just chuckled and said: "Took you long enough." At that point, Draco had had no other choice than to stalk back to his room and stare at the ceiling for the next three hours. 

 

\---

Friday morning found Draco sitting completely inconspicuous behind an enormous book at the Slytherin table. Only a few strands of sleek, blond hair revealed who was hiding - no! _studying_ \- behind the ridiculously large volume. It didn't matter that he never turned a page. What mattered, was that it shielded him from the Gryffindors. 

Draco had a plan. Only nine months of the school year remained, and if he just stayed out of Potter's way, there would be no reason to contemplate resent epiphanies. It wasn't his best plan, but all is fair in love and war, as they say. No, no, scratch that - _like_ and war. No need to get ahead of oneself. This was a new development, and as far as developments went, Draco was all for making them slowly. At least in this rather disturbing case. 

Thus Draco happily slurped his coffee and nibbled at his toast while crouching comfortably behind **777 Nifty Ways to Woo a Witch Without the Use of Magic**. The pain in his neck really wasn't that bad. Nor the way his ribcage rested heavily against the edge of the table. Nope. This was far preferable to catching a glimpse of some dark-haired Gryffindor and perish on the spot from sheer embarrassment. 

Draco sneaked a glance at his pocket watch. Bugger. Only ten minutes had passed. This was going to be a long day. 

\---

Hiding from Potter during breakfast soon proved to be the easiest task of the day. As soon as Draco set foot in the Charms corridor, his eyes fell upon an unmistakable head of hair - and Draco only just managed to stop himself from running in the opposite direction. 

Instead, he leaned against the wall at a safe distance and heaved a great sigh. This was ridiculous. He couldn't avoid Potter for the rest of the day - let alone the rest of the year. And it would seem far more conspicuous to suddenly go out of his way to not cross paths with the man, when his normal way of interacting with him was with taunting comments and a superior attitude. 

Right. The only way to not let Potter find out about this new and rather frightening development, was to carry on as if everything was as it had always been. 

Draco pushed away from the wall and strode towards the Golden Trio with his usual swagger and a smirk in place. Heart thumping like crazy. 

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Our Savior holding court. What brings Your Highness to these humble parts of the castle, pray tell?" 

Draco felt like an idiot. This was a terrible, _terrible_ plan. He should have just run away when he had the chance. 

This thought was multiplied tenfold, when Potter looked at him as if he had sprouted an extra nose and said: "Eh...I'm going to Charms class... Like you."

Draco wanted to swallow his own head. He could feel himself blushing - not a fetching pink, but rather an unbecoming purple. 

"Ah..." he said lamely. "Well, carry on then with...whatever it was you were doing.." 

The trio just kept staring at him - Granger with a rather terrifying curve to her lips. What was that about?! 

Draco scowled at her and retreated with as much dignity as he could muster. When he reached the small cluster of Slytherins that had accumulated in the hallway, he was greeted with a knowing smirk from Blaise and a giggle from Pansy. Bastards. Was this a way to treat a dear friend who was making a complete fool of himself? Draco sneered at them both and tried to ignore them for the rest of the hour. 

\---

As far as plans went, Draco wasn't very consistent. While the original approach of staying as far away from Potter as possible had quickly been abandoned, the second plan had proved to be even worse. Apparently he had lost the ability to taunt the Gryffindor, which was a very sad development, since it used to be Draco's favorite pastime. 

A new course of action would have to be set in motion. Under no circumstances was Potter to ever find out, how Draco's feelings had changed. That would be disastrous and undoubtedly lead to public ridicule - something that must be avoided at all times. But if both avoidance and status quo were dismissed, what was a man to do? 

That afternoon in Care of Magical Creatures by the half-giants hut, Draco tried a new modus operandi. When Hagrid told the class to team up in pairs, Draco shot through the throng of students to get to Potter. Unfortunately he hadn't quite assessed the distance between them properly, and he ended up standing on Potter's left foot, nearly toppling him over.  
The Gryffindor caught hold of Draco's arm at the last minute. 

Draco stepped down from Potter's foot. 

Before him stood Weasley with a deeply furrowed brow and scowled at him. Apparently he was of the understanding that he was the one to pair up with Potter. Draco had to break it to him gently. 

"Sorry, Weasel. Potter's grown tired of your freckled visage and is in search of a new partner. That's where I come in. Now move along. Back to your girlfriend. Begone!"

Draco waved his arms in front of him in a shooing gesture. 

Weasley's face began to turn pink, skipped red and went straight to puce. Not the most flattering of colors, but at least it made his hair stand out a little less than usual. His downturned mouth threatened to spill with what would have to be a flood of profanities directed at Draco, but luckily - and to Draco's astonishment - Granger intercepted him and steered him in the opposite direction. "Come on Ron, work with me today," she said brightly as she dragged her boyfriend along. 

Well. That was unexpected. 

While part one of the new "plan" had to be deemed a success, Draco was now at a loss as to what the next part was. His aim had been to get Potter on his own, but now that he had him it was a rather terrifying prospect. He didn't even know how the other man felt about being kidnapped in broad daylight. He dared a look in Potter's direction. 

Was that the hint of a smile adorning his lips? 

Draco cleared his throat. "Well, Potter, now that you have succeeded in snagging me as your partner - _no_! I meant _teammate_..." Draco gave Potter a sideways glance. Had he noticed the slip-up? He looked innocent enough, but looks tended to be deceiving. Draco ventured on. 

"Should we get started?"

Potter looked at him with an inscrutable expression, then nodded with a small smile and went to fetch a bucket. Draco sighed. What the hell had he got himself into...

\---

Care of Magical Creatures flew by like a swallow in spring, and before Draco had a chance to revel in Potter's rather pleasant company, the class was over. 

At first they had been focused on the work and Draco had attempted to appear less awkward than he felt, but Potter was a surprisingly agreeable work partner, and soon Draco began to relax. The Gryffindor turned out to be quite funny, possessing a warm sort of wry humor that made Draco feel more at ease. Soon they were laughing together and teasing each other in a tentatively friendly way, and Draco was in bigger trouble than ever. 

"This was fun, Malfoy" Potter fiddled with the hem of his sleeve and curved his lips in a pleasant way. "We should do it again."

Draco felt his cheeks warm. Potter looked rather adorable - no, no _rugged_ \- as he stood in front of Draco seeming a bit shy. 

"I agree. Perhaps you would like to join me next Saturday..?" Draco swallowed, surprised at his own recklessness. This could crash and burn in a matter of seconds. He held his breath. 

Potter looked bemused. "Next Saturday...isn't that Hogsmeade weekend?" He looked at Draco with an endearingly oblivious expression. Draco inhaled deeply and prepared himself to be humiliated. 

"Yes, Potter. It's Hogsmeade weekend."

Potter looked stunned for a moment. Then a brilliant smile that rivaled the sun spread across his face. 

"Well, in that case - yes. Yes, I would like to join you next Saturday."

Draco exhaled as discretely as possible. He wanted to jump up in the air with a triumphant howl. (Potter said yes! Draco couldn't believe his own luck.) In stead he smiled nonchalantly, and straightened the collar of his shirt while saying in an off-hand manner: "Good. I'll meet you at the top of the stairs at the main entrance at eleven o'clock. Try not to be late." Then he strode off without another word. 

He was a mastermind of Plans. 

 


End file.
